Dominic Thiem knocks out Britain's Kyle Edmund in Madrid

Kyle Edmund was knocked out in the first round of the Madrid Open, losing 6-4 6-1 to Dominic Thiem.

The opening set went on serve with the first break chances coming for Edmund in the fifth game, but Thiem recovered to hold.

Thiem - who won the US Open in 2020 but then suffered a lengthy absence with a wrist problem - kept the pressure on Edmund's next service game to clinch the break following a wide return and then held to take the set.

Edmund, still recovering his own fitness after a knee injury, looked to regroup at the start of the second set, securing an important hold in the first game when the Austrian again had a chance to break.

A double fault from Edmund when love-40 down handed Thiem the third game, with the Austrian soon breaking again for a 4-1 lead.

Thiem, twice a finalist in Madrid, held to close in on victory, which he secured with another break on Edmund's serve to secure a second-round match against world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas, runner-up in Barcelona.

"I have known Kyle since we were juniors. He has been a tough opponent since the young days, so I went in with a lot of respect," Thiem said on the ATP Tour website.

"I had some crucial moments in the first set when I saved the break points and then I released a little bit and it got better and better."

Former world number three Thiem added: "Once I was a very tough guy to beat on clay and it is not the case right now, but I am feeling that I am getting better and back to shape."

British number one Cameron Norrie was handed a first-round bye and will start his campaign against Yosuke Watanuki after the Japanese qualifier beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-3.

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